ELEPHANT CENSUS PLANNED

Aug 3, 2011 1:04:40 PM - itnnews.lk

Sri Lanka is planning its first ever census of elephants in 18 years. The Wildlife Department is getting ready for this exercise.

Elephants are considered sacred animals in Sri Lanka. The country’s links with the elephant runs into about 25 centuries. Sri Lankans used to consider the elephants as a national wealth. It has been identified that Sri Lanka has about 10 percent of the Asian elephant population. Sri Lanka’s elephant population is believed to have dwindled to about 4,000 from an estimated 12,000 in 1900. The first elephant census was conducted in the year 1953, while the last was held in 1993. The elephant population during that year was 1967. The latest survey is expected to cover the entire elephant population in the island.
The Wildlife Department believes that there is a considerable increase in the elephant population in the island. They hope to end the human-elephant conflict by keeping the elephants within the Wildlife Zones after the survey.